In the field of packaging it is often required to provide consumers with a package comprising multiple primary product containers, such multi-packs being desirable for shipping and distribution and for display of promotional information.
It is known to automate packaging of the primary product containers into the package by placing the primary product containers into a carton formed from a carton blank.
It is also desirable to produce packaging machine which can be coupled to the output of a processing machine which places product into the primary product containers; for example, this may be a bottling or canning machine. It may be further desirable to reorganise the output stream of primary product containers to facilitate placement into cartons.
It is further desirable to provide a packaging machine having a layout which is capable of processing a variety of different carton formats, for example, wrap around cartons, basket carriers, or fully enclosed cartons, and to be able to side or end load, top load or bottom load the chosen carton format with primary product containers. In one particular example, it is desirable that such a machine be able to process cartons having product containers arranged in two or more layers. Furthermore it is desirable to be able to rapidly change the format or layout of the packaging machine to adapt to the carton format or loading method required.